Today in the 1770s: November 9

WILLIAMSBURG, November 9, 1775.
To be SOLD, at the next meeting of the merchants in Williamsburg, by virtue of a deed of trust made to the subscribers,
The estate of John Randolph, esquire, his majesty's attorney general, consisting of his late dwellinghouse within the said city, and of the land adjoining, several very valuable family servants, and a variety of furniture. A year's credit will be allowed the purchasers, they giving bond, with good security to
PEYTON RANDOLPH
JOHN BLAIR
JAMES COCKE

About this entry:

Because Peyton Randolph had died suddenly on October 22 while serving as president of the second Continental Congress, a separate ad, dated November 8, 1775, appeared in the same edition amending the terms of the sale. ("The attorney general's slaves and household furniture, which was advertised for sale at the next meeting of the merchants, will be sold the 25th day of this month, by
JOHN BLAIR }
JAMES COCKE} surving trustees")
These small ads reveal how the prominent Randolph family was torn apart by divided loyalties as Virginia marched down the road to revolution. John Randolph always remained loyal to the king and chose to move to England rather than stay in Virginia. He died in 1784 and asked that his remains be returned to Virginia to be interred with other members of his family at the College of William and Mary.

About

Intended to provide a glimpse into the breadth of subject matter in the Gazette, excerpts from the 18th-century Virginia Gazette have been chosen for every day of the year and annotated by staff of the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library.

Each entry reflects an event that
happened on a particular day (or something published on a particular day).